Terps Send Three to Semifinals at Midlands

Maryland Athletics

12-30-2013

EVANSTON, Ill. - The Maryland wrestling team sent three competitors into the semifinal round at the 51st Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on Sunday, with Jimmy Sheptock, Christian Boley and Spencer Myers all still alive in their respective weight classes.

The combination of results has the Terps placed fourth overall as a team heading into Monday’s final two sessions. Maryland was 16th after one day last year.

Sheptock began his quest to improve on last year's fifth place finish at 184 pounds with a 6-1 decision over Cameron Croy of Harvard. The senior would then defeat Jacob Berkowitz of Northwestern and Iowa’s Sam Brooks to reach the semifinals.

The Pennsylvania native is still on a collision course to face Iowa’s Ethen Lofthouse in the finals, but will have to get by Nate Brown, who is wrestling unattached, to make the final.

Boley, who like Sheptock, was the No. 2 seed in his weight class, cruised to a 9-4 win over Brad Johnson is his opening round match. Boley subsequently dispatched of Cornell’s Alex Coolidge and Donald McNeil of Rider to punch his ticket to the semifinals at 197 pounds.

Since losing against Penn, Boley has ripped off five straight wins. He will face Nathan Burak, who is competing unattached, in the semifinals,

At heavyweight, Myers maneuvered himself through the field with a couple close calls. The undefeated competitor started his day with a routine 16-1 technical fall victory over Sam Cervantes of CSU-Bakersfield.

From there, things got tougher for Myers. The junior gutted out a 2-1 win in the first tiebreaker period against Anthony Edgren, before sneaking past Edinboro’s Ernest James, 3-2.

The top four heavyweight seeds remain in the field, and Myers will face Michigan’s Adam Coon in the semifinals.

Josh Snook also had a nice day for the Terps, winning two matches, including an upset of Rider’s Ramon Santiago in the second round. Snook was bounced in the quarterfinals, but gave the best showing of a Terp not wrestling at the three heaviest divisions.

Wrestling continues in Evanston Monday at noon CT. The Big Ten Network will air the championship finals live Monday night at 8 p.m. CT. To get all updates on the Terps, follow @UMDWrestling and use #Drivefor25 and #Midlands51 to join the conversation.